The present invention relates to devices for calibrating and/or testing pressure-responsive transducers, for example, transducers used in equipment for monitoring blood pressure.
Such pressure-responsive transducers comprise a diaphragm which, in use, is exposed to the pressure to be measured and which is moved thereby an amount related to the magnitude of the applied pressure. The movement is converted into an analogue electrical signal, the magnitude of which represents the magnitude of the applied pressure.
Before such a device is used, and periodically during its use, it is necessary to calibrate and/or test the transducer by exposing it to known pressures and checking the signal generated thereby. The operation and construction of such pressure-responsive transducers is well known and, as it does not form part of the present invention, will not be described in further detail in this specification.
It is an object of this invention to provide a novel construction of a calibration/testing device for use with a pressure-responsive transducer.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a calibration/testing device which is simple, but reliable in operation and yet relatively inexpensive in construction.
Prior devices for testing and calibrating blood pressure monitoring equipment comprise means for applying a reference pressure from a suitable source to the diaphragm of the transducer while simultaneously measuring the applied pressure with, for example, a mercury manometer or some other precision pressure gauge. It will be apparent that such a device is time-consuming in operation.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a device for use with blood pressure monitoring equipment that is expeditious for calibration and set-up and periodic reverification and test of the monitoring equipment.
It is a yet further object of the invention to provide a device which can generate systolic/diostolic type pressure waves.